Dive Resort
A dive resort is a resort that caters specifically to scuba divers by offering easy access to premier dive sites along with appropriate diving facilities and services.
Some key things to know about dive resorts
Location – They are located in close proximity to excellent scuba dive sites, normally ocean locations renowned for an abundance of marine life, coral reefs, shipwrecks, etc. Popular destinations include tropical islands, barrier reefs, or coastal areas.
Dive Equipment – They have on-site equipment rental facilities for masks, snorkels, fins, regulators, wetsuits, buoyancy control devices, tanks, and weights. There are areas for assembling gear and rinsing equipment post-dive.
Compressors – They have stations to fill scuba tanks with compressed breathing air and nitrox diving gas mixes. There are facilities for storing and transporting filled tanks to dive boats.
Boats – Purpose-built dive boats take divers from the resort out to prime regional dive sites and entry/exit points. Boats have gear storage, tank securing stations, ladders or platforms for entering/exiting water easily.
Training – Many dive resorts offer training programs from beginner scuba lessons to advanced certifications on site. There are shallow practice areas for training.
So in essence, a dive resort facilitates diving for all skill levels in a full-service live, eat, play on location environment directly accessible to excellent dive sites.
What Level of Diving Certification Do I Need to Stay at a Dive Resort?
The level of diving certification required to stay at a dive resort can vary, but here are some general guidelines:
- Open Water Diver Certification: This is the minimum certification required at most dive resorts. The open water diver course provides basic training for recreational scuba diving. With this cert, divers can go on guided dives to specified depths up to 60 feet (18 meters).
- Advanced Open Water Certification: Some dive resorts may recommend or require the advanced open water certification, which allows diving to depths of 100-130 feet (30-40 meters). This provides skills for more challenging dives.
- Rescue Diver Certification: Not always required but dive crews feel more comfortable if divers have rescue diver training. This provides skills to prevent/manage emergency situations.
- Divemaster/Assistant Instructor Certification: For divers who want to lead dives or supervise other divers, divemaster-level certifications can be required by the resort.
While basic open water certification is generally adequate for many recreational resort dives, the advanced courses allow you to get the most out of diving vacations. Check with your specific dive resort on certification requirements to ensure you meet prerequisites to dive safely on their excursions. The resort can tailor activities to diver skill levels.
